Illegal Use of Ohio State and Law Enforcement Computers to Dig Dirt on Joe the Plumber?

On Friday, Joe the Plumber told an online chat at the Washington Times that he was "scared for America" if Obama is elected.

Apparently he has good reason to be concerned:

3 searches of 'Joe's' BMV files probed
State investigating whether checks after presidential debate were lawful
By Randy Ludlow
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
October 25, 2008

State and local officials are investigating whether state and law-enforcement computer systems were used illegally to obtain personal information about "Joe the Plumber."
...
Public records requested by The Dispatch disclose that information on Wurzelbacher's driver's license or his sport-utility vehicle was pulled from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles database three times shortly after the debate.

Information on Wurzelbacher was accessed through accounts assigned to the office of Ohio Attorney General Nancy H. Rogers, the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Toledo Police Department.

It has not been determined who checked on Wurzelbacher, or why. Direct access to driver's license and vehicle registration information from BMV computers is restricted to legitimate law-enforcement and government business.

Paul Lindsay, Ohio spokesman for the McCain campaign, called the inquiries politically motivated. "It's outrageous to see how quickly Barack Obama's allies would abuse government power in an attempt to smear a private citizen who dared to ask a legitimate question," he said.

A pattern is developing whereby anyone who criticizes Obama will be subject to violations of their privacy including unlawful searches into their personal information.

It's no wonder Joe is scared for America. We should all be worried. While some Democrats support civil liberties for terrorists detained at Guantanamo, they are busy undermining those same rights of their fellow citizens.

Hand these thugs the keys to the federal government and our rights are all at risk.